Hitching-post.



No. 883,782. PATENTE APR-v, 190s.

aBUToHER. HITCHINGPOST. APILICATION FILED APB.. Z2, 1907.

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CHARLES BUTCHER, CF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

HITCHING-POST.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 7, 1908.

Appucation med Aprn 22, 1907. serial No. 369,495.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES Borel-IER, a resident of Cambridge, in the county` of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improve- In particular, it relates to the type of disappearing and safety bitching-posts shown in Letters Patent of the United States, Number 680,638, granted to me on August 13, 1901, and comprises improvements in the construction and operation by which the expense of manufacture is reduced, and the manner of operating is simplified.

The invention is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a vertical section through apparatus embodying the invention, represented as set in the ground, with the post in its casing; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the apparatus at the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings 10 represents a casing, set in the ground, and. 11 1s a post fitting closely within the casing and capable of being lifted by ring 12 so that it projects above the ground. A spring latch 13 within the ost is normally retracted and not in use, as s own in Fig. 1, but when the post is raised this latch engages in an annular groove 14 formed in an enlargement at the top of the casing. This groove is shown in Fig. 2. It has ,a notch depression 15 on one side, large enough to receive the latch and prevent rotation, and a beveled de ression 16 on the opposite side, large enoug to receive the latch, and, under infiuence of the weight of the post, which tends to fall in the casing, to force the latch back to inactive position so that the post is released and drops into the casing. Preferably this notch and this beveled depression are diametrically opposite. A cap 17 fits upon the top of the post, preventing it from dropping too far into the casing. The cap is provided with a central opening, through which a chain 18 asses to a plate 19, within the post, to which 1t is attached. A spring 20 is strung on the chain between this plate and the cap; and a v button21 is strung on the chain outside the cap and fastened by a pin 22 passing through y the button and through one of the links of the chain. The chain may be as long as desired, and may have a snap hook 23 for attachment to the bridle of an animal in the ordinary manner. If preferred there may be two snaps, one for each bit. The entire top of the sunken casing is larger than the body of the casing, forming a box in which the chain may be coiled when not in use; and a hinged cover 24v is provided, by'lifting which the chain and post are made accessible when it is desired to use the apparatus. In the form of the invention here described the outside casing may be a piece of ordinary 2% iron pipe, a cap 25 being placed at the bottom. The upper box may be a casting attached to the casing by rivets 28 or otherwise yas convenient. The post itself may be a piece of ordinary two-inch iron pipe, hav-` ing a hole drilled therein for insertion of the tube containing latch 13. As the groove 14 extends all the way around the ost, the latch 13 will engage therein invariaiily when the post is raised, and unless it chances that it is raised with the latch 13 in line with the beveled depression 16 the engagement of the latch in this notch will hold the post rigid; but by turning the post around until the latch falls into notch 15 it is safely and se curely fastened against dislodgment by any act of the animal that may be fastened thereby. It can be readily unfastened by the operator by lifting the post until the latch rises out of said notch, and turning it till the latch falls into depression 16 when the post will disa pear.

When insta led the hitching-post is invisible, being sunk beneath the surface of the earth, and only the plate 24, which may be of any ornamental design desired, is visible. Upon lifting the cover 24 the ring 12 is exposed, by which the post may be lifted until it automatically latches itself, and if lifted in a straight line from the osition shown in Fig. 1 the latch naturally alls into the locking notch 15; but to make this more certain an external mark of paint may be placed in a visible position indicating on the cap 17 the location of the latch, and on the interior of the box the location of the notch. Being raised, the chain and snap hook are ready for use, and all the parts are protected from damage by any sudden or unusually owerful movement of a restive animal ffy the spring 20, which absorbs the shock and transmits it gradually to the post, the button 21 rising a little out of its seat as the spring is compressed, but automatically returning to its central location in its seat, owing to the circular or conical under surface. Injury to the animal is prevented at the same time and in the same way. It is preferred to arrange the post With the top plate flush with the surface of the earth, thus presenting no obstruction above the level of the ground. It is also preferred to fasten the cover 24 down with a snap latch 26, which may be released by a simple key inserted through ahole 27 in the plate, thus locking the safety and disappearing post against use by all unauthorized persons.

Disappearing hitching-posts heretofore proposed have required castings of special form, involving prohibitive expense of manufacture. It is one of the advantages of the present invention that the principal parts may be constructed from simple iron pipe of sizes and shapes which are always found manufactured for the general market in large quantities and at low prices, and which are carried in stock commercially by dealers everywhere, very little tooling being required, and that of a simple and ordinary character. By reason of this feature the invention is easily made available for disappearing fences, suitable for use in some places Where a removable fence or railing is desired, as in the entrance hall of a theater or in other situations, as the top portion may then be simplified in structure according to the use required.A Thus, it is seen that the invention is not limited merely to posts for hitching animals, but may be used for many purposes.

Y. I claim:

l. A disappearing post, comprising the combination of a casing and a post vertically extensible therefrom, with a latch held retracted in one of these parts by the other,

there being an annular groove in that other,

into which the latch may project when the post is raised said groove having a locking notch, holding the post against rotation in the groove, and a releasing notch, letting the larger diameter than the interior of said casing pipe, with a beveled notch leading from the bottom of the groove to the surface of said interior.

In testimony whereof I hereto afliX my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES BUTCHER.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR G. LEWIS, EVERETT E. KENT. 

